Improvement in steam-engine



cited time me we Levi 4cniswonn, or PORTLAND, AND GEoRGECAUL, or Youn, Wisconsin.

LettersPatent No. 94,104, ala-ted August 24, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEAM-ENGINE.

Meg-

The Schedule referred to these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all whom lit'oncy concern Bc it known that'we, LEVI GRISWOLD, of Portland,

in the county of Dodge, and GEORGE CAUL, of York, in the county of Dane, and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Steam-En gines; and we do hereby declare vthat the following is a full, clear, and exact description of. the same, reference beingr had to the annexed drawings, making part ofthis specication, in whihl Figure l is a plan or top view of our improved engine.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation on line x-x of' fig. 1, showing the piston-valves in elevation.

Figure 3 is an elevation of the rear side of the steamchest, showing the pipe for conducting the exhaust steam from the cylinder ofthe engine.

Figure 4is an end view of the steam-chest and valve-cylinders.

Corresponding letters in the several guresreier to corresponding parts.

This invention relates to an improvement in reciprocating steam-engines, its object being to aid the cranks of such engines in passing the dead-centres, or rather to aid in removing such cranks when the engine stops `with its .crank upon such centres, or in positions where 'the steam which-is admitted to the cylinder will not start such engine; and to this end,

It consists'in arranging the induction and eduction or cut-ofi' valves of a steam-engine in such a manner, by means ot' a connection with the main shaft of an engine, that theymay be used as a motive-power for starting the engine, when it stops with its crank upon either of such dead-centres, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

A, in the drawings, represents the steam-induction pipe, to be attached to the steam-chest, asV shown in the drawings, or it may be upon the side thereof.

B represents the uppery compartn'ient of the steam; chest, it being the one into which steam is admitted from .the generator. From each end, or from near each end of this chest, there are ports'or passages which lead into the valve-cylinder 0,-which, in this" case, is immediately below the steam-chest, but which may, if preferred, be upon its side.

C represents the upper valve-cylinder or chest.

D represents a rod, which passes through a stuingbox, to be formed upon the oute'r end of the chest, and is to be of s uiiicient length to reach to the opposite end thereof'. Upon its inner endit is to be'supplied with a piston of suliicient length to cover the. aperture which leads from thc steam-chest B, and form a steam-tight joint on each side thereof. At

such a distance from this piston as will leave the aperture in the communicating-pipe f openwhen the iirst-mentio'n'ed piston is over its aperture, there is to be secured another piston or valve of similar construction to the one above referred to. The oiiice-ofvthcse 'pistons or'valves is to direct the steam from this com- 'its outer end for moving the same, and with pistons or valves within `the chest, for giving direction s to the steam, as in the case above alluded to. The office of the last-named pistons or valves isto direct the steam upon either outer end'of the main or cut'- oii' valves, .when the engine stops with the crank` upon either of its dead-centres, in orderthat such valves may be converted into an' engine, for the time being, having sufficient force to start thecrank of the lmain engine, and continue it in lnotion until it has passed far enough/ to admit suiiicientsteam behind the pistonl of themain engine to carry it forward, when, by means of the handle upon the valve-rod, the valves of which are tobe moved by the hand of the operator,

they are to be returned to such a position that they will admit steam to the outer ends'of the main or cut-oi` valves.

F represents another rod,which passes through a l stuffing-box in the end of the chest opposite to those Y above ,describedand which has upon it the main oreut-o" valves or pistons, as shown in fig.2 of the drawings. l

To the outer end of 'this rod there is to be secured a cross-head, H, which is to run upon'vsuitable ways, and have attached to it a connecting-rod, I, for the purpose of transferring the power or pressure upon the pistons or valves in cylinder F, to4 the crank k, as above described,V and so that the crank of the main cyl-` inder may be carried past or ofi' from the dead-centres. This connection with the crank of the engine also serves as a means of working the valves in cylinder F, in such a manner that they may perform the functions of induction and education-valves, and, at'the same time, cut off the steam at any desired. point,

which arrangement may be eifected by making the valves on rod E of the proper length, and placing the crank It' upon the shaft in its proper relation to the` crank 7s ofthe working-cylinder.

G represents the exhaust-pipe, which is to be secured to the side of compartment C of the steam or valvecl1est, as shown in iig. 4'of thc drawings.

, frepresents a steam-passage, which conducts the exhaust steam from cylinder F to the compartment or cylinder C, from which it escapesthrough pipe Gr.4

This pipe or passage may also be used to conduct steam from thechest -or compartment C direct to the cylinder F, and between the pistons in such cylinder,

from which it will pass through apertures au to the` working-cy-linder.V

This result may be accomplished by pushing rod D in to its full extent, so that the outer piston shall be upon the inside of the end of pipe or passage f, when the steam will pass directly to the cylinder F,as above described, and between the pistons, 'at which time, if the lpistons which are on rod E are brought to the positions indicated by red lines in fig. 2, the exhaust will pass up through cylinder E and into C, and out at pipe G.

If it is desired t0 change the direction of the steam,

and admit it to the working-cylinder from the outer ends of the valves in F, it may be donek by pulling the rod D out to its full length, or so far as t0 cause the piston or valve upon its outer end, to cover-the partin the -outer 0nd of.the chest or cylinder G, and open the port in pipe f, and at the same time place the rod c E in the position shown in red lines, whensteam will 'need not be. particularly described here.

The operation of our improved engine will 'be as "follows:

Theparts having been constructed and arranged substantially as shown and described, and when it is .desirable to have the engine ru'n regularly and 'admit Steam to the working-cylinder from the outer ends of the main'valves, the rod D is t0 be placed in such a position that steam will pass down through the port in the inner end of thesteam-chest B, from whence it will pass to cylinder F.

When the valves are in tbispositiomand the engine stops with the crank of its working-cylinder on its dead-ceutre, it is only necessary to move rod E, and the pistons or Valves thereon, into such a position as will admit steam upon the outside of the valve or pis t ton that will move the crank in the right direction, 'when the pressure upon such pistons or valves will cause it to turn the crank until the dead-centre is passed, andthe engine moves on as usual.

Having thus described our invention,

What we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l; The combination of the induction-valves of a steam-engine, with a crank placed upon the shaftV thereof, when so constructed, and arranged that such valves. may be used to carry the crank of the working or main cylinder, past or away from the dead-centres or points, substantially as shown and described. 2. The arrangement of the valves or pistons upon rod F, with reference to cranks k `and k', upon theI main shaft of an engine, it being such that thepressure applied to. the ends of' such pistons may be used to carry the cranks of the main or working-cylinders past or away ii'om Vthe dead-centres, in its revolution, substantially as shown and described.

l It testimony whereof,'we have signed 'our names to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

LEVI GRISWOLD. GEORGE OAUL. Witnesses:

BERNARD LESCHINGER, Guo. P. KEELEP.. 

